Maltogenic alpha-amylase (glucan 1,4-α-maltohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.133) is able to hydrolyze amylose and amylopectin to maltose in the alpha-configuration, and is also able to hydrolyze maltotriose as well as cyclodextrin. A maltogenic alpha-amylase from Bacillus (EP 120 693) is commercially available under the trade name Novamyl® (product of Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark) and is widely used in the baking industry as an anti-staling agent due to its ability to reduce retrogradation of starch/amylopectin. Novamyl is further described by Christophersen, C., et al., 1998, Starch 50, pp 39-45. Variants of Novamyl® and the three-dimensional structure of Novamyl® are disclosed in WO 99/43794.
WO 91/14772 discloses transgenic seeds expressing enhanced amounts of enzymes, and the use of such seeds in catalyzing industrial processes. Baking is mentioned as one example of an industrial process for which α-amylase can be used and it is stated that the seeds may be ground before being incorporated into flour.
Vickers et al, Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Vol. 102, No. 2 pp. 75-78 (1996) speculate in using a Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase as a candidate enzyme for the genetic transformation of malting barley.